Chris Russo popped a gummy before ‘First Take’

Christopher “Mad Dog” Russo may have just made ESPN history after claiming he ate a gummy before First Take.

Russo arrived to ESPN’s South Street Seaport studio Wednesday morning, saw the New York Yankees bit Stephen A. Smith was working on for First Take’s open and promptly said he needed something to help him get through the “phony” segment. Later in the show, Russo claimed he got that help from a gummy.

“I had a gummy this morning, I’m flying…right before he did the Yankee nonsense, I said let me go gobble one. And I went back with Mendoza and I took a gummy.” – Christopher “Mad Dog” Russo 🤣 pic.twitter.com/OE74t9Vzhj

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) October 30, 2024

“I didn’t have any last week. I had a gummy this morning, I’m flying. Oh I’m flying, I had a gummy. Right before he did the Yankee nonsense,” Russo said referring to Smith’s opening bit. “I said let me go gobble one. And I went back with [Jessica] Mendoza and I took a gummy.”

Maybe this is just part of a bit, but the pure disgust on Smith’s face made it seem like he bought into the idea of Russo popping a gummy before the show. Russo later clarified that Mendoza didn’t take a gummy, she was just an innocent bystander as he went into the bathroom to enjoy his preshow edible.

“I’ll take the hit for that. I took it,” Russo said “I went to the bathroom and I popped one in. What the hell, there’s nothing wrong with that. Solo.”

Russo’s affinity for gummies has been a running bit for years, starting with admitting his kids gifted him edibles for Christmas during a 2021 appearance on The Howard Stern Show. He later stunned First Take by touting his taste for gummies and has since teased the idea of taking one before a show.

Was Wednesday finally the day where Russo attempted to co-host an episode of First Take after taking a gummy? He was goofy, loud, animated and outlandish. So basically, Dog was exactly what he’s been in sports media for the last 35 years.

Only Russo and Mendoza know whether the radio Hall-of-Famer really had a gummy to help make Smith’s Yankee bit more palatable. But if Russo is going to pop a gummy before doing radio or TV, they’re probably going to make a bigger deal of it.

[First Take]